The Seoul Museum of History Publishing said on the 22nd that it has published 'Talking about the Mayors of Seoul', containing the recollections of five mayors who served from the 1970s to the 1990s.
The newly published oral history collection consists of the memories and recollections of former mayors Jung Sang-cheon, Yeom Bo-hyeon, Lee Sang-bae, Lee Won-jong, and Cho Soon. It encompasses the atmosphere of Seoul during events such as the Oct. 26 and Dec. 12 incidents, as well as the preparation for the 1988 Seoul Olympics and changes in Seoul's administration following the introduction of local autonomy.
Former Mayor Jung Sang-cheon revealed behind-the-scenes stories from modern history, including his meeting with Kim Jae-kyu, the head of the Korea Central Intelligence Agency, shortly after the Oct. 26 incident, and anecdotes about how personnel from the new military government contacted him after the Dec. 12 incident. Former Mayor Yeom Bo-hyeon described the preparation for the 1988 Seoul Olympics as feeling like "a mother-in-law getting ready for a wedding after having set the date."
Former Mayor Cho Soon noted that his unconventional style, wearing a baseball cap with a dress shirt and without a tie when he was elected as the first mayor of Seoul through direct elections, left an impression on citizens, similar to the image from the Taiwanese drama "Justice Pao." He also testified about starting his duties at the site of the collapse of the Sangpu Department Store, which occurred two days before his inauguration.
Former Mayor Lee Sang-bae shared his experience of tackling traffic problems by introducing a vehicle restriction system during the 'My Car Era,' while former Mayor Lee Won-jong explained the background of proposing the 'BESETO' project, which aimed at establishing an international Northeast Asian community through cooperation among Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo.
The recollections of these former mayors of Seoul can be accessed as e-books on the Seoul Museum of History Publishing website and in public libraries located in Seoul. They are also available for purchase on the Seoul Bookstore website.
Lee Sang-bae, head of the Seoul Museum of History Publishing, said, "We will continue to publish oral history collections on various topics to enrich the documentation of Seoul's history."